Edward Reynolds

Edward Reynolds (engraving by David Loggan from 1658)

Edward Reynolds (born November 1599 in Southampton , † July 28, 1676 ) was Bishop of Norwich of the Church of England and author.

Life

Reynolds was born in the parish of Holyrood, near Southampton . His parents were Augustine (Austin) Reynolds and his wife Bridget. In 1615, Reynolds became head of the mailroom at Merton College , and in 1620 a probationary candidate for the Brotherhood. In 1622 he was appointed teacher at Lincoln's Inn . From 1627 to 1628 he served as a parish pastor in the All Saints' Church in Northampton , since 1631 as a senior pastor in the parish of Braunston in Northamptonshire . In the English Civil War of 1642, Reynolds was on the side of the Presbyterians .

In 1643 he participated as a synodal at the Westminster Synod and in 1644 committed himself to the Westminster Confession . In 1648 he became the Dean of Christ Church College , Oxford and Vice Chancellor of Oxford University . In 1651 he rejected the so-called Engagement controversy and although he made a promise to obey the law, he did not sign the oath on the Humble Proposals of Sundry Learned and Pious Divines , so that in September 1650 he gave up his office as Vice Chancellor had to. In March 1651 he was removed from office as dean, although at the last minute he gave a promise to sign a restricted version of the oath. In January 1657 he preached before Parliament. In the same year he became parish priest in the church “St. Lawrence Jewry ”in London . In 1659 he was reinstated as dean.

After the death of Oliver Cromwell he tried together with other Presbyterians to an understanding with Richard Cromwell . On October 11, 1658, Reynolds turned to the new Lord Protector both in his own name and on behalf of other Presbyterian clergymen . In 1659 he preached to the parliament at the beginning of the session. His sermons to Parliament and prominent Londoners in 1659 and 1660 were increasingly shaped by the need for peace, unity, moderation, guidelines for the restoration of the monarchy, and courtesy towards the Episcopal Church .

The time after the restoration

In 1660, during the English Restoration , Reynolds became the court chaplain to Charles II . In the same year he was appointed head of Merton College, and he was also the Bishop of Norwich. The general thanksgiving prayer of the Book of Common Prayer , part of the Anglican Morning Prayer, was written by him. His collected works were published in 1658 and 1679, most recently together with his memoirs in 1826 by Alexander Chambers.

Late years and death

In old age, Reynolds suffered badly from kidney stones and bladder pain . He died on July 28, 1676 in the episcopal castle and was buried on August 9 in the episcopal chapel in Norwich, which he had built. His wife Mary survived him. Their daughter Elisabeth married John Conant.

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• William Arthur Jobson Archbold: Reynolds, Edward . In: Dictionary of National Biography . 1885-1900. tape 48 . Smith, Elder & Co., London 1896, doi : 10.1093 / ref: odnb / 23408 (English, Wikisource ).
• Reynolds, Edward, DD In: John M'Clintock, James Strong (Eds.): Cyclopaedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature . No. 8 . Harper & Brothers, New York 1883, p. 1078 (English, archive.org ).